MUSIC: Follow his 'Bliss'

AWE Photos/Nicholas FeveloHANDYMAN: "A guitar is like a beautiful naked woman, just standing there -- you have to put your hands on it," says John Purvis, guitarist for The ReAwakening.

Jazz-influenced rock shredder John Purvis (aka Sachem Onedegodth) sticks his double-neck out for new CD

John Purvis can trace his own musical evolution with almost every breakthrough in rock 'n' roll.

"I saw the first time The Beatles played on Ed Sullivan, and that was the beginning," says Purvis, 47, of New Brighton. "Then I saw the Jackson Five on Ed Sullivan as well, and I said to myself, 'I can't dance like any of those guys, but I bet I can play guitar.'"

Damn right he can.

Purvis, known on stage and record as Sachem Onedegodth, is one of Staten Island's hidden treasures: A virtuoso player and composer slinging progressive fusion from a double-neck electric guitar.

The ReAwakening, his power trio with drummer Rob Bostick and bassist Chester French, just released a seven-song, 79-minute CD called "Sanctified Bliss." While his indie act is not likely to rise up the pop charts any time soon, the dreadlocked guitarist's skill is a must-witness, however you go about it.

Scales fly from his fingers like water from a hydrant, then screech like great pieces of metal being torn apart. Sometimes his songs, which can go anywhere from six to 20-plus minutes, focus on a simple groove or melody and its evolution, as if mapping out the movements of a woman's long, smooth gait. Potentially mind-numbing stuff, but it's also impressive and at times quite beautiful.

A jazz fusion prayer

It's music that reveals its player's love for everything from jazz lion John Coltrane and proto-fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra to Frank Zappa and Zeppelin.

"People talk about how cool Slash looks on stage but his guitar is slung so low, I tell them he was probably sitting on a stool in the studio, when he was playing it perfectly," chuckles Purvis. "On stage, with the lights, it doesn't matter if you mess up a little -- no one will notice. But really, that look doesn't give you the versatility you need. When I play, each finger has a job to do on the instrument."

Over the years, Purvis has been in many bands and played different kinds of music, opening up for Blues Traveler, the Spin Doctors and popular Pink Floyd cover band The Machine. He's been to countless shows and owns and studies countless records. When Cream reunited, he cried tears of joy. Of all his influences, however, he would have most like to play with Miles Davis -- a musician he says changed modern music in each era of his professional life.

Music is his life, and he's no amateur, but Purvis does have a day job, teaching fourth grade and phys ed to kids in Brooklyn.

"I started that job so that I could turn down a well-paying gig without it turning my stomach," he says. "At first I thought it would sort of reduce my chops, but the opposite was true. At the end of the day, I want to come home and play."

Purvis is an NYC lifer who grew up in Brooklyn and relocated to Staten Island 17 years ago to move in with a girlfriend, and in many ways, the guitarist has a romantic view of his instrument and his craft as well. In his old BK digs, Purvis put a guitar in every room, so that his natural gravity with the instrument would draw him to it no matter what he was doing.

"A guitar is like a beautiful naked woman, just standing there," he grins. "You have to put your hands on it."

Parallels to sexuality don't define Purvis' musicality by any stretch, though. The jazz-influenced shredder -- who had to play in school band for three years before he owned his own instrument -- chose his stage name because he believes the extra mile in performance is an endeavor of spirituality, not skill.

"Sachem is an Algonquin word that means 'chief' or 'leader,'" he says. "Onedegodth means ... well, it means one with God. Ninety percent of what I play is for the supreme being. People ask me who is faster, me or Vernon Reid. For a long time I didn't know about him, even though he was doing a lot of stuff I was into as well. Now that I've seen him, my response is: Whoever is more divinely inspired at the time."

Some of Purvis' statements may appear conceited, but those who've witnessed him play live would probably argue he has the right to be. And while any accomplished player and music nut requires a certain level of chops before they assign respect, the North Shore resident teaches all skill levels, as long as the student is serious and prepared to be challenged.

"It took me what felt like centuries to get where I wanted to be technically," says Purvis. "And I'm still learning. You don't stop getting better until you draw your last breath, and then it won't matter. You'll be playing with the angels."

BACK TALK: AWE music writer Ben Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@siadvance.com.